Two passing scuba divers helped save the life of an OAP who fell ill in a shop - by giving her oxygen from their tanks.<br /><br />Andrew Lowde and pal Matthew Harland, 33, had popped into a Co-op store on their way to diving session when they noticed staff rushing to the aid of an old lady.<br /><br />The un-named OAP had turned purple and seemed to be deteriorating so the pair asked someone to dial 999.<br /><br />When they heard that an ambulance could take an hour and a half to get them they dashed back to their car to retrieve a tank of oxygen to give help her.<br /><br />They then helped give the woman - known only as Margaret and in her 80s - oxygen to ease her breathing and help her recover before paramedics arrived and took over.<br /><br />The incident happened as Andrew and Matthew were travelling to Gildenburgh Water, Cambs when they pulled into the shop at Whittlesey, Cambs.<br /><br />Andrew, a heating and gas engineer from Hemel Hempstead, Herts, said: "When we got there, there was an elderly lady sitting in a chair and people were saying she had been taken ill.<br /><br />"She was going a purple colour, which is a sign of oxygen starvation - she was very frail and you could see her condition deteriorating.<br /><br />"The staff there were doing a good job at being sympathetic, but she was going downhill quite rapidly."<br /><br />While not medically trained, Andrew and Matthew had done a bit more than basic first aid due to their adventurous hobby.<br /><br />Andrew said: "We got someone to call 999, and we started talking to her, trying to keep her awake.<br /><br />"We were told the ambulance was going to be about an hour and a half, so we made the decision to go and get the oxygen tanks we have for diving.<br /><br />"We gave her oxygen for about 10 minutes, before that she was really panicking, but the oxygen really settled her down.<br /><br />“After a few minutes she really perked up, it could have been a lot worse.<br /><br />"She was looking very frail when we arrived, and her condition was getting worse. <br /><br />"We were definitely in the right place at the right time to help her.” <br /><br />Andrew said his training as a scuba diver since 2001 had been vital and her had taken part in a life savers course. <br /><br />Matthew, a self-employed plumber and kid's scuba diving instructor, said they are trying to get into contact with the woman, believed to be called Margaret. <br /><br />He said: "Living in Hemel Hempstead, we're not local but we would like to find out if she was okay.<br /><br />"She said she didn't have any family nearby except maybe a daughter so we hope she's doing well and being looked after."
